Trial By Sapphire

I just signed up for Pinterest, and the first pin I saw on the home page was this:


Yes, I know "theydon't" is not a word, but for the sake of this post, I'm focusing on the meaning.  It is so true and so important to remember.  The timing couldn't be better for me. 

During my conversation with Mom and Dad this weekend, Dad was telling me about a conversation he had with an old friend of mine with whom I've been in and out of touch.  She was telling him that things have been rough in her personal life but she is working hard at putting her life back together.  Not knowing that my friendship has been strained recently, he said, "You know, you can call Lindsay too.  The thing about Lindsay is she is such a good friend.  She really wants the best for her friends, and she is very loyal."  Oddly enough, he continued with something to the effect of, "She chooses her friends wisely.  When she feels that a friend is not honest or that they're not a true friend, that person is gone."  This is interesting for two reasons:

1. He said that to someone who, I think, needed to hear it.
2. I've always liked to think of myself as someone who is fiercely loyal to my friends.  I felt happy knowing that even my parents have observed this and thought it to be true.

So back to this "pin."  People love differently.  As we grow up, we learn from those around us what love means, how it makes us feel, and how we convey that love to someone else, whether it's familial, platonic, or romantic.  This pin was a good reminder that some people are raised to say "I love you" daily and express how proud they are of each other constantly.  Others weren't.  (I was the former.)  Sometimes life gets busy and it's hard to find time to return a phone call or an e-mail.  Sometimes there are personal issues that I don't know about. 

I need to remember that I'm surrounded by good people who wouldn't "dump" me out of the blue.  We all love to the best of our abilities.